Paralympic Games: Closing ceremony led by Coldplay - BBC News BBC News Paralympic Games: Closing ceremony led by Coldplay 10 September 2012 Read more about sharing. Close share panel Media captionAcrobats and dancers performed to live music from Coldplay and other artists in what was described as a festival of fire London's 2012 Paralympics has ended with a fiery finale and official handover to 2016 host, Rio de Janeiro. The show, described as a "festival of flame" honouring Britain's ancient traditions and festivals, brought 11 days of sport to a close. UK band Coldplay led the show, which started at 20:30 BST, with a live set reflecting the four seasons. The event ended what organisers say has been "the greatest Paralympic Games ever". Unlike the other Games ceremonies, the 4,200 athletes were seated around the main arena, putting them at the heart of the action. At the Olympic Stadium By Ian WestbrookBBC 2012 If the Paralympics had to end then they did so in style, with a superb closing ceremony that had a bit of everything.

There were spectacular moments, dazzling fireworks, great live music and tributes to all the right people - the armed forces, the Games Maker volunteers and the athletes. The speeches were made in the right tone and contained good and appropriate anecdotes and the tale of the four seasons from autumn going to spring showed the continuing nature of life. And that is what everyone has to face now with a Monday morning that won't contain tales of medals won and those possibly to come. It is back to reality for most people and on to pastures new for others. London 2012 will never be forgotten. Declaring the 2012 Paralympics closed, International Paralympic Committee president, Sir Philip Craven, said: "These Games have changed us all forever." China finished top of the Paralympic medals table, with 231 medals - 95 gold. Great Britain cemented third place behind Russia, with a tally of 120, including 34 golds.

As the ceremony drew to a close, Paralympians Ellie Simmonds and Jonnie Peacock helped to put out the Paralympic flame, which was shared out across the stadium symbolising "the eternal nature of the flame living among us all". Each participating country will take home one of the 200 copper petals that made up the Paralympic cauldron. In other developments on the final weekend of 2012: Organisers say some 2.7 million Paralympic tickets have been sold - beating targets by 200,000 and predicted sales by £10m On Monday, 800 British stars of the Olympics and Paralympics will celebrate their success during a victory parade through the streets of London. Mayor of London Boris Johnson said he hoped to see a social and cultural legacy from the Games. 'Coming together' As Sunday's show began, a tribute was paid to the armed forces and military charity, Help for Heroes.

The Paralympians have lifted the cloud of limitation Lord Coe, Locog chairman GB Paralympians David Weir and Sarah Storey, who both won four gold medals at the Games, carried the British flag into the stadium, as flagbearers representing 164 nations participating in the Paralympics entered the arena. And Captain Luke Sinnott, who lost both legs in an IED bomb blast while serving in Afghanistan, climbed the flagpole to raise the Union Jack. Coldplay sang songs from their five albums, while dancers including the Candoco Dance Company - a contemporary group of 12 disabled and non-disabled dancers - performed with flames around the burning face of a "sun king". Apart from Coldplay's live set, the sold-out finale featured performances from pop star Rihanna, rapper Jay-Z and a cast of around 1,200 performers on three circular stages - Summer, Winter and the Sundial. "The idea is the coming together as one," said artistic director Kim Gavin behind the Festival of Flame. "We are known as a nation for having the most festivals, it is something that we do - with 600 festivals a year.

Paralympics coverage online Travel info for Games locations "We pay tribute to all the human spirit and achievement through this wonderful sport of the last two weeks." Kenya's Mary Nakhumicha ZakayoIrish and Irish runner Michael McKillop were presented with gold medals in recognition of them winning the Whang Youn Dai Achievement Award - for athletes who exemplify the best spirit of the Paralympic Games. Flowers were also presented to honour the 70,000 Games Maker Olympic and Paralympic volunteers. Some 120 child volunteers from east London took part in the spectacle, along with disabled aerial performers from Circus Space and The British Paraorchestra. After the Paralympic flag was passed to the Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes, performers from Rio - which will stage the games in 2016 - put on a colourful performance fusing hip-hop freestyle and samba, performed by disabled and non-disabled dancers. Speaking to the 80,000-strong crowd, organising committee chairman Lord Coe said the UK would "never think of sport the same way and we will never think of disability the same way.

"The Paralympians have lifted the cloud of limitation." He added: "Finally, there are some famous words you can find stamped on the bottom of a product. Words, that when you read them, you know mean high quality, mean skill, mean creativity. 'An absolute triumph' "We have stamped those words on the Olympic and Paralympic games of London 2012. "London 2012. Made in Britain." IPC president Sir Philip Craven said the Games had been "unique and without doubt, in my mind and those of the athletes - the greatest Paralympic Games ever". Speaking before the start of the ceremony, Prime Minister David Cameron said: "I think it's been an absolute triumph from start to finish and I'm really proud of the country, not just that we've put on a great show, but we've had these great audiences". Mr Cameron, whose disabled son Ivan died in 2009, added: "I think back to Ivan.

As every parent, you think about all the things they can't do, but at the Paralympics they are superhuman, you see all the things they can do." He also said it would give momentum to sports participation and the Paralympics had changed perceptions of disabled sport. Coldplay, Rihanna, Jay-Z close London Paralympics Coldplay, Rihanna, Jay-Z close London Paralympics STEVE DOUGLAS Share View photos Singer Rihanna performs with Chris Martin lead vocals of the British rock band Coldplay during the closing ceremony for the 2012 Paralympics games, Sunday, Sept. 9, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) More LONDON (AP) — Farewell, London. Good luck matching that, Rio. Coldplay, Rihanna and Jay-Z rocked the Olympic Stadium on Sunday night to give the biggest-ever Paralympic Games a rousing send-off, wrapping up an unforgettable summer of sports in Britain. The three-hour party at the packed 80,000-seat arena in east London gave the world a chance to celebrate 11 days of Paralympic competition that have shifted perceptions and shattered stereotypes about the disabled.

"In this country, we will never think of sport the same way and we will never think of disability the same way," said Sebastian Coe, chairman of the London organizing committee. "The Paralympians have lifted the cloud of limitation." Central to the closing ceremony — called the "Festival of the Flame" — were the 4,200 Paralympians from 164 nations who encircled the field of play from the start, waving flags and taking in the extraordinary atmosphere. By the end of the extravaganza, they created an international mosh pit in front of the stage as volleys of fireworks rocketed above. "I think it's been an absolute triumph from start to finish," said British Prime Minister David Cameron, whose disabled son Ivan died in 2009. "I think back to Ivan. As every parent, you think about all the things they can't do, but at the Paralympics they are superhuman, you see all the things they can do.

"It's been a golden summer of British sport." Coming after a hugely successful Olympic Games, the 2012 Paralympics broke all records, with 2.7 million spectators cramming into venues, more than $70 million raised in ticket sales and the games broadcast in more than 100 countries. They are unprecedented figures as the British public displayed an enthusiasm previously unseen in the 52-year history of the Paralympics. The wide exposure introduced the world to Paralympians such as Dutch wheelchair tennis player Esther Vergeer — who extended her nine-year unbeaten streak to 470 matches by winning the women's singles — and David Weir, a British wheelchair racer who won four golds in his home city. It also enhanced the reputation of iconic South African double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius, who became the first track athlete to compete in both games. He won two golds in the Paralympics, including in the 4x100-meter relay which was one of 251 world records broken at these games.

"I think people are going to look back at this Paralympic Games and for the first time really, truly believe that Paralympic sport is not just inspirational, it's hard-core sport," said Pistorius, who drew a rousing cheer as his image was displayed in a montage of Paralympians on the big screen. A moving tribute to wounded British servicemen and members of the British army opened the show. Luke Sinnott, a captain who lost both legs from above the knee in an explosion in Afghanistan in 2010, hung the Union Flag at the top of flagpole in the middle of the stadium. Rory Mackenzie, a serviceman who lost his leg on patrol in roadside bomb blast, gave a sonorous introduction to the theme of the four seasons that was at the heart of the show. Proud flag-bearers from all competing nations marched in before a Mad Max-style parade of 25 trucks and motorcycles, in shapes that included peacocks and fish, stormed the stadium and kick-started Coldplay's set.

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin belted out top-selling hits like "Clocks," ''Viva La Vida" and "Paradise." "Nobody said it was easy," a lyric from the moving song "The Scientist," seemed particularly apt for the occasion. Coldplay, who were given a standing ovation when they performed their final song "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall," said: "We can't actually imagine a bigger honor" than playing at the Paralympics in their home city. Artistic director Kim Gavin created an electric production. White confetti rained down as snow, black crows on stilts encircled the stage, flaming butterflies swirled in the air and a flying motorbike driven by highwire artist Laszlo Simet with disabled dancer Lyndsay Adams powered across the stadium. "Being at the Paralympics is the biggest honor," said Rihanna, who first appeared dressed in a flowing orange gown before changing to a see-through black top and dark sunglasses. "These athletes are gladiators and are a true inspiration to me." She sang "We Found Love" while swinging in a chair high above the stage, a performance sure to give her insurer a heart attack.

Such was the global attraction of performing at the closing ceremony that organizers were able to turn down approaches from other major artists — but they wouldn't name names. Sunday night's stars, artists who have sold millions of records, were being paid a nominal one pound ($1.60) to play. The ceremony finished with the cauldron — made up of 200 petals — being extinguished, ending the games in London and passing the baton to Rio de Janeiro for 2016. The handover saw Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes wave the Paralympic flag with abandon before Brazilian pop stars danced onto the stage. Speaker after speaker acknowledged that after London, the Paralympics will never be the same. "On Aug. 29, we opened with the theme of 'Enlightenment,'" said Sir Philip Craven, president of the International Paralympic Committee. "Tonight, we are enlightened and armed with a superior knowledge of what can be achieved.

The legacy of these games will be long-lasting." Reblog United States at the 2012 Summer Paralympics The 2012 Summer Paralympics, the fourteenth Summer Paralympic Games , and also more generally known as the London 2012 Paralympic Games, were a major international multi-sport event for athletes with disabilities governed by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), that took place in London , England from 29 August to 9 September 2012. These Paralympics were one of the largest multi-sport events ever held in the United Kingdom after the 2012 Summer Olympics , and were the largest Paralympics ever: 4,302 athletes from 164 National Paralympic Committees participated, with fourteen countries appearing in the Paralympics for the first time ever. A total of 503 events in 20 sports were held during these games; for the first time since their suspension after the 2000 Paralympics , events for the intellectually disabled were also held in selected sports.

The lead-up to these games prominently emphasized the return of the Paralympic movement to its spiritual birthplace: in 1948, the British village of Stoke Mandeville first hosted the Stoke Mandeville Games , an athletics event for disabled British veterans of the Second World War held to coincide with the opening of the Summer Olympics in London. They were the first-ever organized sporting event for disabled athletes, and served as a precursor to the modern Paralympic Games. [4] [5] Stoke Mandeville also co-hosted the 1984 Summer Paralympics with Long Island , New York, after its original host, the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign , pulled out due to financial issues.

[6] Organizers expected the Games to be the first Paralympics to achieve mass-market appeal, fuelled by continued enthusiasm from the British public following the country's successful performance at the Summer Olympics , awareness of the United Kingdom's role in the history of the Paralympics, public attention surrounding South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius (who, only just prior to the Paralympics, became the first double amputee to compete in the Summer Olympics alongside able-bodied athletes), a major marketing campaign instituted by the Games' local broadcaster, and growing media coverage of Paralympic sport . The games ultimately met these expectations, breaking records for ticket sales, heightening the profile of the Paralympics in relation to the Olympics, and prompting IPC president Philip Craven to declare them the "greatest Paralympic Games ever." [4] [7] Bidding process As part of a formal agreement between the International Paralympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee established in 2001, the winner of the bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics was also to host the 2012 Summer Paralympics.

[8] At the 117th IOC Session in Singapore, the rights to host the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics were awarded to London. [9] [11] 2012 Summer Olympics bidding results City — Development and preparation As with the Olympics, the 2012 Summer Paralympics were overseen by LOCOG and the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA). LOCOG was responsible for overseeing the staging of the games, while the ODA dealt with infrastructure and venues. [12] [13] The Government Olympic Executive (GOE) within the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) was the lead Government body for co-ordinating the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. The GOE reported through the DCMS Permanent Secretary to the Minister for Sports and the Olympics Hugh Robertson . It focused on oversight of the Games, cross-programme management and the London 2012 Olympic Legacy .

[14] Venues and infrastructure The 2012 Summer Paralympics used many of the same venues as the 2012 Summer Olympics, along with several new locations such as Eton Manor for wheelchair tennis and Brands Hatch for road cycling. [15] London's purpose-built Olympic venues and facilities, including the Olympic Village itself, were designed to be accessible as possible so they could easily accommodate the Paralympics. Some venues also contained additional accessible seating areas during the Paralympics. [15] [16] Public transport Transport for London operated the Paralympic Route Network (a downsized version of the Olympic Route Network operated during the Summer Olympics) to facilitate road traffic between venues and facilities. The network provided 8.7 miles (14.0 kilometres) of lanes specifically reserved for Paralympic athletes and officials. [17] TfL continued to operate its Get Ahead of the Games website during the Paralympics, which provided updates and advice for commuters during the Games. [18] Prior to the Games, concerns were raised by TfL commissioner Peter Hendy that London's transportation system might not be able to handle the Paralympics adequately.

He feared that the end of the school summer holiday (which fell during the Games) would result in increased traffic, and that commuters might not heed traffic warnings or change their travel behaviour as they had during the Olympics. [19] Sevenoaks railway station was designated as the preferred station for spectators travelling to watch the cycling at Brands Hatch . Organisers chose Sevenoaks over the closer Swanley railway station because of its "existing step-free access and excellent transport links", and because Swanley did not yet have a wheelchair lift . Whilst organisers did not believe that Swanley would be able to have wheelchair lifts installed by the start of the Paralympics, the station finished their installation by early August 2012. [20] Lead-up and promotion Handover ceremony The formal handover occurred during the closing ceremony of the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, when Mayor of London Boris Johnson received the Paralympic Flag from Mayor of Beijing Guo Jinlong . This was followed by a cultural presentation by Britain, which was similar to its presentation during the Olympics' closing ceremony .

It featured urban dance group ZooNation, the Royal Ballet , and Candoco , a physically integrated dance group, all dressed as London commuters and waiting for a bus by a zebra crossing. A double-decker bus drove around the stadium, guided by Ade Adepitan , to music composed by Philip Sheppard . The top of the bus was open and folded down to show a privet hedge featuring London landmarks such as Tower Bridge , The Gherkin and the London Eye . Cherisse Osei , drummer for Mika , and Sam Hegedus then performed, before the top of the bus folded up into its original form, sporting multi-coloured Paralympic livery. [21] Both the Paralympic and Olympic flags were formally raised outside of London's City Hall on 26 September 2008. British Paralympians Helene Raynsford and Chris Holmes raised the Paralympic flag.

[22] [23] Paralympic Day and Super Saturday On 8 September 2011 Trafalgar Square staged International Paralympic Day, hosted by Rick Edwards , Ade Adepitan and Iwan Thomas , to coincide with a visit to London by representatives of the IPC. The event celebrated the Paralympic Games, showcasing and demonstrating the 20 sports that would feature during the Games (with some sessions also made inclusive to people with hearing disabilities). It also featured appearances by Paralympic athletes Oscar Pistorius , Ellie Simmonds and Sascha Kindred , and the unveiling of a bronze statue of Pistorius by Ben Dearnley . British Prime Minister David Cameron and London's mayor Boris Johnson also appeared. [24] [25] Two days later on 10 September, supermarket chain Sainsbury's and Channel 4 presented Sainsbury's Super Saturday, a family event at Clapham Common .

The event featured showcases of Paralympic sports, and a concert featuring pop music acts including Nicola Roberts , Olly Murs , The Wanted , Will Young , Pixie Lott , Dappy , Sugababes , The Saturdays , Chipmunk and Taio Cruz . [26] [27] Channel 4 promotional campaign Channel 4 , the host broadcaster of the 2012 Summer Paralympics in the United Kingdom, promoted its coverage of the Games with a multi-platform advertising campaign that included television adverts, online content, and billboard advertising , some of which carrying the tagline "Thanks for the warm-up ." Overall, Channel 4's campaign aimed to change the public's view of the Paralympics, encouraging viewers to see the Games as an "event in its own right" rather than as an afterthought to the Olympics. [28] As part of the campaign, Channel 4 produced a two-minute-long trailer for its coverage entitled Meet the Superhumans, which was directed by Tom Tagholm with input from Deborah Poulton, 2012 Paralympic Project Leader and Alison Walsh, Editorial Manager of Disability, both at Channel 4.

The trailer, set to Public Enemy 's song " Harder Than You Think ", focused on the competitive and "superhuman" aspects of Paralympic sport, while acknowledging the personal events and struggles that reflected every athlete's participation in the Games. Meet the Superhumans premiered on 17 July 2012, and aired simultaneously as a "roadblock" advert on 78 different commercial television channels in the UK (which included rival channels ITV1 and Sky1 ). [29] [30] The advert was met with critical acclaim: Adweek 's Tim Nudd declared it "the summer's most stunning sports commercial", [29] while Simon Usborne of The Independent felt it was "an act of branding genius" and "a clear bid to bring the Paralympics from the sporting wings to centre stage." [30] The advert was seen by an estimated audience of 10 million viewers; Channel 4's marketing and communications chief Dan Brooke estimated that reaction to the advert through social media was double that of the première of the BBC's trailer for its Olympics coverage.

[29] [30] Meet the Superhumans won a Golden Lion award at the Cannes Lions Festival in June 2013, losing the overall award to Dumb Ways to Die . Sir John Hegarty , the jury president said of it: "When you've got some really outstanding work it is tragic in some ways it can't get a bigger award, but there can only be one grand prix", while jury member Carlo Cavallone added "[Meet the Superhumans] is an amazing campaign, one of the golds that went through [the judging process] immediately ... Everyone felt it had the highest level of craft. It puts an issue that was really important before London 2012 to raise awareness of the Paralympics [and] they were hyper successful … Dumb Ways to Die was a tough contender." [31] Royal Mail stamps and gold post boxes In August 2009 Royal Mail unveiled a series of 30 stamps (reflecting the 30th Olympiad) about the coming Olympic and Paralympic Games.

They were released in batches of ten between 2009 and July 2011; each stamp featured an Olympic or Paralympic sport and the London 2012 logo. [32] [33] [34] As it had done during the Olympics, Royal Mail honoured Britain's Paralympic gold medallists by painting a post box gold in each of their home towns (along with an additional post box outside the National Spinal Injuries Centre in Stoke Mandeville , in honour of its role in the Games' history), [35] and featured them on commemorative stamps released throughout the Games. [36] [37] Royal Mail originally planned only to release a series of six stamps with group portraits of Britain's medallists; however, the decision was met with backlash from critics, who argued that the organization was discriminating against Paralympians by not granting them the same individual recognition as their Olympian counterparts.

[36] Olympic shadow minister Tessa Jowell was also critical of Royal Mail's plan, saying that the stamps were a symbolic aspect of Britain's celebration of the Olympics and that "it would be a shame if this important symbol was not offered to our Paralympian heroes as well." [37] Royal Mail initially defended its decision, arguing that it would have been "logistically and practically impossible" to issue individual stamps for each gold medallist, since it expected the British team to meet or exceed its performance at Beijing of 42 gold medals. [36] As a result of the criticism, Royal Mail announced on 15 August 2012 that it would release individual stamps for each British gold medallist during the Paralympics. [37] Test events Several Paralympics-specific events were held during the London Prepares series of test events for the Olympic and Paralympic Games; these included the London International Goalball Tournament, and the London Disability Grand Prix—which was also the first Paralympic event to be held at London's Olympic Stadium.

[38] [39] Torch relay The Paralympic torch relay began on 22 August, when groups of disabled and non-disabled scouts kindled four Paralympic flames on the highest peaks of each nation of the United Kingdom; Scafell Pike in England, Ben Nevis in Scotland, Slieve Donard in Northern Ireland, and Snowdon in Wales. On 24 August the four flames were used to light ceremonial cauldrons in London, Edinburgh , Belfast and Cardiff during special "Flame Festival" events; smaller "Flame Celebration" events were also held in various communities over the bank holiday weekend. [40] [41] [42] On 28 August the four flames were united during a ceremony at Stoke Mandeville Stadium . [43] The flame then travelled a 92-mile (148-kilometre) route to Olympic Stadium in a 24-hour relay, with 580 torchbearers working in teams of five. [40] After a two-hour weather delay, a backup flame was taken straight to the stadium as a contingency, and the relay route was modified.

[44] However, as the opening ceremony's parade of nations took longer than expected, the flame was able to arrive at Olympic Stadium in time. [45] Ticketing 2.7 million tickets were offered in total, including event-specific tickets and those granting access solely to the Olympic Park, along with multi-event passes offered for ExCeL London and Olympic Park that were intended to allow spectators to discover a variety of Paralympic events. [16] [46] Unlike previous Paralympics, tickets were in extremely high demand, and the ticket allocation was increased from the originally planned 2.5 million. Whilst the period during the Olympics has historically been the busiest for Paralympic sales, 1.4 million tickets were already sold before the start of the Summer Olympics, already surpassing the total number sold in Sydney. [47] The high demand resulted in technical issues with the Ticketmaster -operated website, which led to complaints via social networking services by users who were struggling to order. [48] Organisers expected the first ever sell-out in the history of the Paralympics.

[49] LOCOG's chief executive Paul Deighton remarked that "the interest in attending the Paralympics has been extraordinary from the start." [46] This success was attributed to the enthusiasm surrounding Great Britain's performance during the Olympics , fan interest in South African "Blade Runner" Oscar Pistorius (a Paralympic athlete who was the first ever double amputee to compete in the Olympics), and affordable prices. [46] [50] On 8 August LOCOG announced that 2.1 million tickets had been sold (600,000 in the previous month alone), breaking the record of 1.8 million set in Beijing (1.6 million tickets were also distributed by the Chinese government). [46] IPC president Philip Craven congratulated London for this achievement, crediting it to "the insatiable appetite the public has for top class elite sport", and noted it would be fitting for a Paralympics held in its spiritual birthplace to have filled venues.

[47] By the opening ceremony, 2.4 million had been sold, with the remaining 100,000 sold during the Games; 10,000 were offered each day. The last 800 tickets to the Opening Ceremony were distributed to police and the military, while Mayor Boris Johnson arranged for the distribution of 1,100 to members of London's youth athletics clubs. [51] Due to popular demand, a further 100,000 contingency tickets were released on 6 September (which included multi-event passes, and event tickets given up by sponsors and partners), along with 100,000 giving access solely to the Olympic Park. [46] Logo The 2012 Summer Paralympics used an emblem sharing a common design with that of the Summer Olympics—the first time this had ever been done. [53] The logo, designed by Wolff Olins , was unveiled on 4 June 2007, and is a representation of the number 2012.

[54] The Paralympic version has its own distinct colour scheme, and substitutes the Olympic Rings with the Paralympic "agitos" . [56] Mascots The official mascot of the 2012 Summer Paralympic Games, Mandeville, was unveiled alongside its Olympic counterpart Wenlock on 19 May 2010. As characters, they are portrayed drops of steel from a steelworks in Bolton , and feature singular camera eyes—representing "focus" and the cameras being used to capture the Games. Mandeville is named in honour of Stoke Mandeville due to its significance in the origins of the Paralympics. Mandeville also wears a helmet emblazoned in the red, green, and blue colours of the Paralympic emblem . [58] [60] Opening ceremony The opening ceremony was held on 29 August at the Olympic Stadium. It was inspired by William Shakespeare 's play " The Tempest " and themed around the concept of "Enlightenment".

It featured appearances by theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking , along with actors Ian McKellen and Nicola Miles-Wildin playing the roles of Prospero and Miranda from "The Tempest". The ceremony also featured a performance by British electronic music group Orbital . [45] The leading UK disabled theatre company Graeae played their version of the polio survivor Ian Dury 's 1981 protest song ' Spasticus Autisticus '. [61] The final bearers of the Paralympic flame represented several generations of Paralympic athletes. Joe Townsend, a Royal Marine who lost both of his legs after stepping on a land mine on duty in Afghanistan (who represented the future, as he plans to compete in Rio ), delivered the flame to Olympic Stadium via a zipline from the ArcelorMittal Orbit tower. He passed the flame to long-time British Five-a-side football captain David Clarke , who then passed it to the lighter of the Paralympic cauldron , Margaret Maughan , who was the winner of Britain's first gold medal at the first official Paralympics , in Rome. [45] Closing ceremony The closing ceremony was held on 9 September at the Olympic Stadium.

Entitled "The Festival of the Flame", the ceremony was themed around the gathering of people in celebration, and was directed by Kim Gavin , who also directed the closing ceremony of the Summer Olympics just a few weeks prior. [62] The ceremony featured sequences set to a live performance by the British rock band Coldplay , who were accompanied by guest performers such as the British Paraorchestra (who accompanied the band on " Strawberry Swing ", and also performed the Paralympic anthem), Barbadian singer Rihanna (who performed her collaboration with Coldplay, " Princess of China ", and her solo hit " We Found Love ") and American rapper Jay-Z (who performed " Run This Town " with Rihanna and Coldplay, and joined in a reprise of " Paradise "). To mark its hosting of the 2016 Summer Paralympics , the Paralympic flag was passed from Boris Johnson , Mayor of London to Eduardo Paes , Mayor of Rio de Janeiro .

[7] LOCOG chief Sebastian Coe and IPC president Philip Craven both congratulated London for its successful hosting of the Paralympics; Coe was proud that both the Olympics and Paralympics in London could be labelled " Made in Britain ", while Sir Phillip felt that the Games were the "greatest Paralympic Games ever." [7] Ellie Simmonds and Jonnie Peacock shared the honour of extinguishing the Paralympic cauldron, sharing its last flame on torches to others throughout the stadium to represent its eternal spirit. [7] [63] The Games Participating nations London 2012 had the largest number of athletes and participating nations of any Paralympic Games. [64] A total of 4,302 athletes from 164 countries competed in the Games. [2] This represented an increase of 291 athletes and 18 countries from the 2008 Games, which had 4,011 athletes from 146 countries.

[65] Fourteen countries made their Paralympic début: Antigua and Barbuda , Brunei , Cameroon , Comoros , the Democratic Republic of the Congo , Djibouti , the Gambia , Guinea-Bissau , Liberia , Mozambique , North Korea , San Marino , the Solomon Islands and the US Virgin Islands . [64] Trinidad and Tobago returned to the Games for the first time since 1988. [66] [67] Andorra made its début in the Summer Paralympics , having already made three appearances at the Winter Paralympics . [68] Malawi , which would have been making its debut at the Games, and Botswana , were both due to send delegations but withdrew hours before the opening ceremony citing a lack of government funds.

[69] The following National Paralympic Committees sent delegations to compete: [2] Participating National Paralympic Committees (number of athletes) (HD) - CLOSING CEREMONY - PARALYMPIC GAMES - PART 1 - LONDON 2012 - LIVE 09/09/2012 - YouTube (HD) - CLOSING CEREMONY - PARALYMPIC GAMES - PART 1 - LONDON 2012 - LIVE 09/09/2012 Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later.

Published on Sep 11, 2012 I Will Never Forget This Paralympic Games - London 2012....My respect and admiration to all Athletes who participating in this Olympic Games :) Super Heros :) London's 2012 Paralympics has ended with a fiery finale and official handover to 2016 host, Rio de Janeiro. The show, described as a "festival of flame" honouring Britain's ancient traditions and festivals, brought 11 days of sport to a close. UK band Coldplay led the show, which started at 20:30 BST, with a live set reflecting the four seasons. The event ended what organisers say has been "the greatest Paralympic Games ever". Unlike the other Games ceremonies, the 4,200 athletes were seated around the main arena, putting them at the heart of the action. Declaring the 2012 Paralympics closed, International Paralympic Committee president, Sir Philip Craven, said: "These Games have changed us all forever." China finished top of the Paralympic medals table, with 231 medals - 95 gold.

Great Britain cemented third place behind Russia, with a tally of 120, including 34 golds. As the ceremony drew to a close, Paralympians Ellie Simmonds and Jonnie Peacock helped to put out the Paralympic flame, which was shared out across the stadium symbolising "the eternal nature of the flame living among us all". Each participating country will take home one of the 200 copper petals that made up the Paralympic cauldron. 'A few surprises' As Sunday's show began, a tribute was paid to the armed forces and military charity, Help for Heroes. GB Paralympians David Weir and Sarah Storey, who both won four gold medals at the Games, carried the British flag into the stadium, as flagbearers representing 164 nations participating in the Paralympics entered the arena. And Captain Luke Sinnott, who lost both legs in an IED bomb blast while serving in Afghanistan, climbed the flagpole to raise the Union Jack.

Coldplay sang songs from their five albums, while dancers including the Candoco Dance Company - a contemporary group of 12 disabled and non-disabled dancers - performed with flames around the burning face of a "sun king". Apart from Coldplay's live set, the sold-out finale featured performances from pop star Rihanna, rapper Jay-Z and a cast of around 1,200 performers on three circular stages - Summer, Winter and the Sundial. "The idea is the coming together as one," said artistic director Kim Gavin behind the Festival of Flame. "We are known as a nation for having the most festivals, it is something that we do - with 600 festivals a year. "We pay tribute to all the human spirit and achievement through this wonderful sport of the last two weeks." Kenya's Mary Nakhumicha ZakayoIrish and Irish runner Michael McKillop were presented with gold medals in recognition of them winning the Whang Youn Dai Achievement Award - for athletes who exemplify the best spirit of the Paralympic Games. Flowers were also presented to honour the 70,000 Games Maker Olympic and Paralympic volunteers.

Some 120 child volunteers from east London took part in the spectacle, along with disabled aerial performers from Circus Space and The British Paraorchestra. After the Paralympic flag was passed to the Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes, performers from Rio - which will stage the games in 2016 - put on a colourful performance fusing hip-hop freestyle and samba, performed by disabled and non-disabled dancers. Speaking to the 80,000-strong crowd, organising committee chairman Lord Coe said the UK would "never think of sport the same way and we will never think of disability the same way. "The Paralympians have lifted the cloud of limitation." He added: "Finally, there are some famous words you can find stamped on the bottom of a product. Words, that when you read them, you know mean high quality, mean skill, mean creativity 'Superhuman' achievements "We have stamped those words on the Olympic and Paralympic games of London 2012. "London 2012.

Made in Britain." IPC president Sir Philip Craven said the Games had been "unique and without doubt, in my mind and those of the athletes - the greatest Paralympic Games ever". Speaking before the start of the ceremony, Prime Minister David Cameron said: "I think it's been an absolute triumph from start to finish and I'm really proud of the country, not just that we've put on a great show, but we've had these great audiences". Mr Cameron, whose disabled son Ivan died in 2009, added: "I think back to Ivan.

As every parent, you think about all the things they can't do, but at the Paralympics they are superhuman, you see all the things they can do." He also said it would give momentum to sports participation and the Paralympics had changed perceptions of disabled sport Category Coldplay's Chris Martin Hits Back At Paralympics Criticism Coldplay's Chris Martin Hits Back At Paralympics Criticism Newspix.pl /WENN.com More Coldplay's Chris Martin has subliminally responding to criticism the group received for having such a prominent role during the 2012 Paralympics Closing Ceremony, saying they "had the best time." View photos Coldplay's Chris Martin Hits Back At Paralympics Criticism More The Brit group performed an incredible 16 songs thoughout the ceremony on Sunday night, providing the perfect backdrop to the legions of dancers that accompanied their music. Coldplay were joined by US stars Rihanna and Jay-Z throughout their set, but some disgruntled viewers were angry that the group were featured so heavily during the historic event.

Thanking fans for their support, Chris wrote on the band's Twitter page: "Thank you so much for your kind messages about the Paralympics closing ceremony." "We had the best time and were so proud to be part of it. CM," he added. Were you annoyed by Coldplay's prominent role? In case you missed out on the action, catch some of their set here. PSB connections to the 2012 Olympics Home > PSB Lists > PSB connections to the 2012 Olympics To the surprise of many fans, the Pet Shop Boys wound up being associated with the 2012 Olympics, hosted by the city of London, in a number of ways—sometimes quite prominently, while at other times much more subtly. 1. The " Winner " single timing and packaging Although the song "Winner" was not inspired by the Olympics, the Boys and their record company decided to release it as a single in conjunction with the 2012 games largely because the lyrics readily lent themselves to such an association. The single's packaging artwork enhanced the connection with its depiction of an Olympics-style winners' podium. 2.

The recurrent usage of " West End Girls " The Pet Shop Boys' first, biggest, and best-known hit made repeat appearances throughout the games. It was one of the songs used for the entry of the athletes during the opening cermonies. It was played repeatedly for the public in the Olympic Park. It was included on the Isles of Wonder various-artists Olympic CD collection. And our musical heroes themselves performed it during their appearance during the closing ceremonies and again in front of Buckingham Palace for the Olympics/Paralympics "victory parade." (More about those two events farther below.) 3. A live performance at the Olympic tennis matches On July 28, Chris and Neil appeared live at the start of the Olymipc tennis matches at Wimbledon, for which they performed " Always on My Mind " and the aforementioned "Winner." 4. Their participation in the closing ceremonies The Boys were among the large assortment of British artists who took part in the closing ceremonies on August 12. Neil and Chris rode through the stadium on rickshaws, miming to the near-ubiquitous "West End Girls." 5.

Their participation Olympics/Paralympics parade The 2012 Paralympic Games for athletes with disabilities were held immediately after the close of the Olympics in the host city, as they always have been since 1988. After their conclusion, the city of London hosted on September 10 a huge parade and festival to pay tribute to the athletes of both games, during which the Pet Shop Boys played a prominent role, performing several numbers, including "Winner." 6. Es Devlin Stage and costume designer Es Devlin, who designed the London Olympics closing ceremony, had previously served as the creative director for the Boys' 2009 Pandemonium Tour. Both prominently featured "box-type" designs. 7. An admittedly tenuous connection via Moby Dick Not long after the conclusion of the Olympics, Neil served as one of the readers for an online chapter-by-chapter audio presentation of the classic American novel Moby Dick by Herman Melville. The online artwork accompanying Neil's reading was a photo of the Olympic Park's Aquatic Center, designed by architect Zaha Hadid, known to PSB fans as the set designer for the 1999 Nightlife Tour. 8.

Another somewhat tenuous connection via Coldplay The band Coldplay performed their big hit " Viva la Vida " at the September 9 closing ceremony for the aforementioned Paralympics. Of course, the Boys have recorded and have often performed live their own cover of that song. 9. And yet another even more tenuous connection via performance venues The Pet Shop Boys had previously performed at two (and possibly more) of the London Olympics competition venues: Hyde Park and the O2 North Greenwich Arena. All text on this website aside from direct quotations (such as of lyrics and of other nonoriginal content) is copyright © 2001-2014 by Wayne Studer. All Rights Reserved. All lyrics and images copyright © their respective dates by their respective owners. Brief quotations and small, low-resolution images are used for identification and critical commentary; it is therefore believed that they constitute Fair Use under U.S. copyright law. Billboard chart data are copyright © their respective dates by Nielsen Business Media, Inc.

(HD) - CLOSING CEREMONY - PARALYMPIC GAMES - PART 3 - LONDON 2012 - LIVE 09/09/2012 - YouTube (HD) - CLOSING CEREMONY - PARALYMPIC GAMES - PART 3 - LONDON 2012 - LIVE 09/09/2012 Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Sep 11, 2012 I Will Never Forget This Paralympic Games - London 2012....My respect and admiration to all Athletes who participating in this Olympic Games :) Super Heros :) London's 2012 Paralympics has ended with a fiery finale and official handover to 2016 host, Rio de Janeiro.

The show, described as a "festival of flame" honouring Britain's ancient traditions and festivals, brought 11 days of sport to a close. UK band Coldplay led the show, which started at 20:30 BST, with a live set reflecting the four seasons. The event ended what organisers say has been "the greatest Paralympic Games ever". Unlike the other Games ceremonies, the 4,200 athletes were seated around the main arena, putting them at the heart of the action. Declaring the 2012 Paralympics closed, International Paralympic Committee president, Sir Philip Craven, said: "These Games have changed us all forever." China finished top of the Paralympic medals table, with 231 medals - 95 gold. Great Britain cemented third place behind Russia, with a tally of 120, including 34 golds. As the ceremony drew to a close, Paralympians Ellie Simmonds and Jonnie Peacock helped to put out the Paralympic flame, which was shared out across the stadium symbolising "the eternal nature of the flame living among us all".

Each participating country will take home one of the 200 copper petals that made up the Paralympic cauldron. 'A few surprises' As Sunday's show began, a tribute was paid to the armed forces and military charity, Help for Heroes. GB Paralympians David Weir and Sarah Storey, who both won four gold medals at the Games, carried the British flag into the stadium, as flagbearers representing 164 nations participating in the Paralympics entered the arena. And Captain Luke Sinnott, who lost both legs in an IED bomb blast while serving in Afghanistan, climbed the flagpole to raise the Union Jack. Coldplay sang songs from their five albums, while dancers including the Candoco Dance Company - a contemporary group of 12 disabled and non-disabled dancers - performed with flames around the burning face of a "sun king". Apart from Coldplay's live set, the sold-out finale featured performances from pop star Rihanna, rapper Jay-Z and a cast of around 1,200 performers on three circular stages - Summer, Winter and the Sundial. "The idea is the coming together as one," said artistic director Kim Gavin behind the Festival of Flame.

"We are known as a nation for having the most festivals, it is something that we do - with 600 festivals a year. "We pay tribute to all the human spirit and achievement through this wonderful sport of the last two weeks." Kenya's Mary Nakhumicha ZakayoIrish and Irish runner Michael McKillop were presented with gold medals in recognition of them winning the Whang Youn Dai Achievement Award - for athletes who exemplify the best spirit of the Paralympic Games. Flowers were also presented to honour the 70,000 Games Maker Olympic and Paralympic volunteers. Some 120 child volunteers from east London took part in the spectacle, along with disabled aerial performers from Circus Space and The British Paraorchestra. After the Paralympic flag was passed to the Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes, performers from Rio - which will stage the games in 2016 - put on a colourful performance fusing hip-hop freestyle and samba, performed by disabled and non-disabled dancers.

Speaking to the 80,000-strong crowd, organising committee chairman Lord Coe said the UK would "never think of sport the same way and we will never think of disability the same way. "The Paralympians have lifted the cloud of limitation." He added: "Finally, there are some famous words you can find stamped on the bottom of a product. Words, that when you read them, you know mean high quality, mean skill, mean creativity 'Superhuman' achievements "We have stamped those words on the Olympic and Paralympic games of London 2012. "London 2012. Made in Britain." IPC president Sir Philip Craven said the Games had been "unique and without doubt, in my mind and those of the athletes - the greatest Paralympic Games ever". Speaking before the start of the ceremony, Prime Minister David Cameron said: "I think it's been an absolute triumph from start to finish and I'm really proud of the country, not just that we've put on a great show, but we've had these great audiences". Mr Cameron, whose disabled son Ivan died in 2009, added: "I think back to Ivan.

As every parent, you think about all the things they can't do, but at the Paralympics they are superhuman, you see all the things they can do." He also said it would give momentum to sports participation and the Paralympics had changed perceptions of disabled sport Category

Question: The 2012 Paralympics Closing Ceremony featured an extended set by which British band
Answer: Coldplay